Fastening means for snathe-nibs.



H. B. HEWITT.

FASTEMNG MEANS FOR SNATHE NIBS.

APPLICATION FILED SEPT. 30' I915- Patented Nov. 6, 191-7,

1&45317.

"sive, 1 designates the snathe of a scythe or HORACE B. HEWITT, 'OE INDIANAPOLIS, INDIANA.

FASTENING lvineivs ron. sIvA'rIIE-nIBs Appfieation filed September 30, 1915. $eria1 No. 53,367.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, HORACE B. HnwITT, a citizen of the United States, residing at Indianapolis, Marion county, and State of Indiana, have invented and discovered certain new and useful Improvements in Fastening Means for Snathe-Nibs, of which the following is a specification.

y invention relates to fastening means for nibs for snathes and its object is to provide a construction in which several operations now required in thesmanufac'ture and assemblage of the nib and the'nib iron are dispensed with, thereby reducing the cost, and in which the nib iron is capable of being conformed to the contour of the snathe when originally applied, or of being adjusted to a new location on' the snathe, merely by ma nipulation of the niband without the use of formers or other tools for such purposes;

With this end in view, my invention is embodied in preferable form in the construction and arrangement hereinafter described and illustrated in the accompanying drawings. I

In these drawings, Figure 1 is alongitu- 'dinal section through a nib or handle showing one form of my invention applied thereto; Fig. 2, a cross section on line 22 of Fig. 1; Fig. 3, a detailplan, partly broken away, of the strip constituting the nib iron before it is bent into shape to receive the snathe; Fig. 4:, a detail side view; Fig. 5, a view similar to Fig. 1 of a modified form of the construction; Fig. 6, asection of the line 66 of Fig. 5, and Fig. 7, a longitudinal section of another modified form ofthe construction. Referring to the drawings, and firstto .the construction illustrated in Figs. 1-4 inelucradle, and 2 indicates oneof the handles or nibs, as such handles are usually called, and which are adapted to'project angularly from the snathe and to. be grasped by the hands 'of the user in the operation of the adapted to be clamped to the'seythe by what is known as a nib-iron.

scythe. This nib is made of. woodand-is snathe According'to the usual construction, this nib-iron consists of a piece of stiff metal having loop portion which surrounds the snathe and is adapted to be bent closely a a ns the surface let the m f y means. of

' smooth finish.

a press or former and which also has a stem or shank which is adapted to extend through thenib and to have its outer end threadedv so as to receive a nut fixed inthe nib. In this construction the loop and the stem are, of'course, integral and it is necessary to make the former of comparatively heavy metal in order that when the portions of the iron which constitute the stem or a i I shank are brought together the shank member may be of sufiicient strength to support the nib, and of sufficient thickness and: ri-.

igidity to'permit threads to be tapped therein to receive the locking nut. The thickness of metal thus required in the 'loop'necessitates the employment of a special former or presser, heretofore referred to, for the purpose "of 'pressing'the loop tightly down against the surface of the snathe so as to hold the nib rigidly in position. Also, if it "should be desired byjthe user to move the to cutoff that erd of the stem'or shank of the nibiron which projects beyond the outer surface of the nib, and then to grind down thisend so that the samemay be flush with the outer surface of the nib and may have a Such'projection of the end is necessary in the usual construction to provide sufficient length to allow for irregular1t1es 1n the size and surface contour of different snathes. These various operations entail the most considerable part of the'eX- pense of manu-factur'e,and also the nib iron described can not be adjustedby the user except at great inconvenience.

My invention overcomesthese objections I and difficulties.

' 4 The nib-iron of the invention consists of a single continuous integral strip of thin, pliable steel which is adapted to be bent around ing adapted to be pressed together edge to edge so as to form a substantiallycylindrial st r' ank e p i tins a an. fi a e Tl r 'r' -I from the snathe. The opposing members forming this shank are adapted to be held in position by means of a ferrule 5, which is slipped over the shank. A second and-larger ferrule 5 fits over the ferrule 5. This ferrule 5 is provided with a. substantially circular central opening 6, and with angled slots 7, extending from said central opening and adapted to fit overthe loop memberof the nib-iron so that the ferrule at its end will embrace said loop and bear against the snathe surface. The ferrule 5 is countersunk in its upper end to receive the inner end of the wooden nib or handle 2.

Thestem 4 extends into thisnib only a short distance and isinteriorly screw thread ed to receivethe inner threaded end of, a bolt 8, which bolt is provided at its outer end with a head 9, adapted to close the aperture through the nib, and is also provided adja cent said head with a squared or other polygonal portion 10, which is adapted to be driven intothe wood of the handle so as to prevent the bolt from'turning independently but to enable the handle and bolt to be turned together.

In this construction since the long bolt constitutes-the main bearing and connecting member between the nib and the nib-iron, and since the ferrule serves to sufficiently stiffen the stem of the iron to enable the same to retain the bolt, it is rendered possible to employ a loop or strap member of pliable metal capable of being bent closely against the surface of the snathe to conform it to the contour of the snathe, notwithstanding variations in size or. shape ofthe latter, and to effect this conformation merely by the adjustment of the nib itself.

In assembling the parts, the strip constituting the body of the nib-iron is folded together circumferentially and the ferrule 5 applied thereto in order to hold the ends to gether and then the loop or strap is slid over the snathe to its proper position thereon.

The ferrule 5 is then slipped on and the nib, carrying embedded therein the longitudinally extending bolt, is applied to the nib-iron, the threads of the bolt engaging the threads in the stem of the iron, and when the nib is turned by hand, or by a. suitable machine, the loop strap will be clamped tightly around and against the snathe, the

.nib being carried down against the forrule, 5.

In the use of the device, should it be desired by the user to move the nib along the snathe to a different position, it is merely necessary for him to loosen the loopbyunscrewing the nib and to thenmove the nib iron along the snathe to the new location and re-clamp the same by again screwing up the nib.

In Figs. 5 and 6, a modified form of the construction is employed, in which the nibiron is formed from a single integral piece of metal, but in this case such piece consists of a flat strip or plate of sheet steel adapted to be pressed into form to provide a loop or strap member 11, and an elongated shank 12. Said shank 12, as a result of the first pressing operation, is U-shaped in cross section, but is adapted to be closed into circular form by another pressing operation. In this construction, also, the loop or strap member is of pliable metal capableof-being bent and conformed closely to the contour of the snathe merely by the pressure induced through the tightening of the nib or handle. In this construction the shank extends throughthe nib for a greater distance than in the previously describedform, butterminates short of the outerend of the nib, thus also obviating the necessity of cutting off and grinding the end thereof.

its outer end to receive a nut 14-, which is adapted to be driven into a countersunk recess 15, formed in the end of thenib, the nutbeing so driven into the wood of the nib as to turn therewith. By means of this nut the nib is adapted to be secured to the shank and also theloop or strap maybe tightened by screwing up the nib as described with reference to the constructionkof Fig.1. In order to provide a smooth finish for the outer end of the nib, the recess therein is preferably adapted to .be filled by a wooden plug 16.

In Fig; 7, another modified form of the construction, is shown in which the pliable metal loop member is formed of a pieceof comparatively thin band steel. such as 17, and this strip or band is adapted-to be welded at its ends 17 to a solid bolt 18, constituting the shank ofthe nib-iron andextending into the nib.

As in the case of the device of Figs. ,5 and 6, the outer end of this shank is exteriorly screw threaded to receive a nut 19, which is driven into the wood of the nib 20, at the inner end of the countersunk recess 21, a plug 22, being used to fill such recess.

In all of these forms of construction it will be seen that the clamping loop member of pliable metal, capable ofbeing conformed to the contour of the snathe merely by the adjustment of the nib itself, is an essential and distinguishing feature. In all of theseforms, also, the operationsof pressingthe loop strap by machineryv against the snathe and cutting and grindingthe usual projecting endof the nib-iron shankare dispensed with. The construction of Figs. 1 to 4 inelusive, also possesses other distinctive advantageswith respect to che apnes s, and.the commercial availability of the two parts of the nib-iron there shown, which may be of standard stock. In the construction of Figs. 1 and 5, the operation of welding usually required is dispensed with, while in the arrangement of Fig. 7, the welding is reduced to a minimum.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim is, V

1. In combination with a nib for snathes', a nib-iron having a snathe engaging loop of relatively thin pliable metal to enable 1t to be bent by hand pressure applied to the loop, a threaded shank for said loop, means carried by the shank and non-rotatably engaging the nib whereby the shank is caused through its threaded part to move longitudinally to tighten the loop when the nib is turned, and a ferrule bearing against the loop and having a socket to receive the inner end of the nib.

2. In combination with a snathe nib, a snathe engaging loop member of sufiicient pliability and thinness as to be capable of being bent into close contact with the surface of the snathe by hand pressure applied to the nib, a separate rigid shank member to the inner end of which the ends of said loop member are welded, said shank being the loop member and having a socket portion to receive the inner end of the nib.

V 3. The combination with'a nib for snathes, of a nib iron having a snathe engaging loop formed of relatively thin pliable metal capable of ready bending under hand pressure to conform to the circumferential shape and size of the snathe, a nib, and a threaded connection operable by the turnlng of said nib,

whereby said loop is made to conform to the snathe and secure the nib in place, substantially as set forth.

In witness whereof, I have hereunto set my hand and seal at Indianapolis, Indiana, this 25th day .of September, A. D. nineteen hundred and fifteen.

' Witnessesz" H. P. DOOLITTLE, J. W. Momus.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents Washington, D. G. V 

